Theater Reviewhttp://www.reviewjournal.com/rss.xml/131
enRainbow Company program making history entertaininghttp://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/theather-review/rainbow-company-program-making-history-entertaining
It’s easy to imagine the scene: a teacher announces to her grade school students, “It’s time for our daily lesson in Nevada history” — and the snoozefest begins.Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:23:17 +000016422 at http://www.reviewjournal.comActresses shine in 'Tale of the Allergist's Wife'http://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/anthony-del-valle/actresses-shine-tale-allergists-wife
The booming-voiced but pint-sized Andee Gibbs has made a local career of bringing to life many of those Jewish-mother roles that the theater world likes to reinvent about a dozen times a season.Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:08:05 +00006680 at http://www.reviewjournal.comFreedom revoked for artistic directorhttp://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/anthony-del-valle/freedom-revoked-artistic-director
Audience members waiting in the lobby recently for the start of an improv show at the Onyx were startled to see artistic director Brandon Burk being led away in handcuffs. It was perhaps the most dramatic “end of a reign” in modern local playhouse history.Fri, 15 Feb 2013 10:31:02 +00006437 at http://www.reviewjournal.com'For the Joy of the Sting' an intriguing adventurehttp://www.reviewjournal.com/anthony-del-valle/joy-sting-intriguing-adventure
Writer-director Mick Axelrod’s “For the Joy of the Sting,” at Las Vegas Little Theatre Studio, is an enjoyable mess, rich in possibilities.Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:11:07 +00006110 at http://www.reviewjournal.comReduced-price run-throughs could benefit casts, audienceshttp://www.reviewjournal.com/anthony-del-valle/reduced-price-run-throughs-could-benefit-casts-audiences
One of the unfortunate realities of local theater is that shows often open before the cast has had a chance to perform in front of a live audience. It’s the nature of the beast; community theater productions have short runs (as little as one weekend, or, for the fortunate, a couple of months).Fri, 08 Feb 2013 10:29:18 +00005358 at http://www.reviewjournal.comMinor roles provide major enjoyments in 'Anything Goes' at Smith Centerhttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/shows/minor-roles-provide-major-enjoyments-anything-goes-smith-center
I couldn't tell if the touring production of "Anything Goes," currently at the Smith Center, was poorly directed or if the cast members were just having an off night in the opening performance. This exuberant musical comedy has all the elements of a stirring show: a funny script, a genius score,Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:43:00 +00006087 at http://www.reviewjournal.com'Gruesome Playground Injuries' fails to connect with audiencehttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/gruesome-playground-injuries-fails-connect-audience
The alarm went off in my head immediately. Entering Cockroach Theatre's small playing space for "Gruesome Playground Injuries" (by Rajiv Joseph, author of the popular "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo"), we spot a young woman, Kayleen (Felicia Taylor), on the floor with a coloring book. She liesTue, 05 Feb 2013 10:00:00 +00006848 at http://www.reviewjournal.comOne actor makes 'Gemini' worth seeinghttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/one-actor-makes-gemini-worth-seeing
Alan Ball is the reason to see "Gemini." His role as Fran in Nevada Conservatory Theatre's production of the 1977 Albert Innaurato dramedy isn't showy. The union guest actor doesn't have any big moments that scream for attention. But he's a marvel for his ability to quietly inhabit the skin ofTue, 05 Feb 2013 10:00:00 +00006847 at http://www.reviewjournal.comUtah Shakespeare's touring version of 'Romeo and Juliet' lacks passionhttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/shows/utah-shakespeares-touring-version-romeo-and-juliet-lacks-passion
The best I can say about The Utah Shakespeare Festival Touring Ensemble's 75-minute version of "Romeo and Juliet" - geared toward high-school audiences and open to the general public this weekend - is that it isn't terrible. This time out the group doesn't talk down to its young audience. DirectorTue, 05 Feb 2013 03:49:00 +00006942 at http://www.reviewjournal.comDance productions an elevating, emotional experiencehttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/dance-productions-elevating-emotional-experience
Marko Westwood is frustrated. When I ask the 20-year Las Vegas resident what it's like to try getting word out about his dance company he replies, with a voice too eager and a smile too broad, "Oh, it's so amazing! It's flowers and unicorns and rainbows!" In other words, it sucks. Westwood, 44, theFri, 01 Feb 2013 10:08:50 +00007121 at http://www.reviewjournal.com'Clockwork Orange' play looks terrific, but story's core is missinghttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/clockwork-orange-play-looks-terrific-storys-core-missing
Anthony Burgess' 1962 "A Clockwork Orange" - a futuristic adventure about a young, lower-class British punk (Alex) and his pack-mates who love Beethoven as much as torture and killing - was considered by some at the time of release to be a rare bird: one of the few "books of legal porn" thatMon, 28 Jan 2013 01:47:00 +00007580 at http://www.reviewjournal.comPodcast shares criticism, news, events of theater communityhttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/podcast-shares-criticism-news-events-theater-community
I suspect the Las Vegas Theatre Arts Production Show podcast doesn't have much of a worldwide audience. But in the local theater community, it's a must-listen. No wonder. The program is populated by four hosts in their 20s and 30s - Benjamin Loewy, Lysander Abadia, Maxim Lardent and Karalyn ClarkFri, 25 Jan 2013 10:03:47 +00007651 at http://www.reviewjournal.comEven from chorus, great performances shine throughhttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/even-chorus-great-performances-shine-through
It's only natural that performers sometimes feel they are nonentities when cast in chorus roles. But I often want to tell these people, "When you're onstage, you are being seen just as clearly as anyone else." Case in point: In the Onyx Theater's current revival of Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeny Todd:Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:03:53 +00008142 at http://www.reviewjournal.com'Proletariat' very good but too much like Mamethttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/proletariat-very-good-too-much-mamet
I have a major reservation about Las Vegas Little Theatre's very entertaining "The Proletariat," but there's much good stuff to talk about first. Ernest Hemmings' original play about the evils of the corporate world is at times devastatingly funny, cleanly written and rich in surprises. SimpleMon, 14 Jan 2013 17:19:10 +00008462 at http://www.reviewjournal.comTechnical values first-rate for Onyx's 'Sweeney Todd'http://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/technical-values-first-rate-onyxs-sweeney-todd
Three months ago at the Onyx Theatre, Off-Strip Productions delivered one of the season's best local shows with director Brandon Burk's vision of Stephen Sondheim's 1979 "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." Because of other commitments, the often sold-out musical played only threeFri, 11 Jan 2013 17:52:52 +00008661 at http://www.reviewjournal.comTheater critic jumping into trencheshttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/theater-critic-jumping-trenches
Forgive me for having to do a housekeeping chore. For the past 16 years that I've been working as a theater critic (10 for this newspaper), I've been fascinated by the relationship between the reviewer and the reviewed. I was brought up in the tradition that a journalist never participates in theFri, 11 Jan 2013 10:03:02 +00008623 at http://www.reviewjournal.comPlaywright reflects on highs, lows in personal, professional lifehttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/playwright-reflects-highs-lows-personal-professional-life
Let's see who the real local theater buffs are: How many of you recognize the name Jerry Crawford? The Michigan resident is well-known around these parts for his longtime professorship at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. During his nearly 34 years there (up until the mid- 1990s), he founded theFri, 04 Jan 2013 10:01:00 +00009102 at http://www.reviewjournal.comResolutions for local theater organizationshttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/resolutions-local-theater-organizations
The folks at local theater organizations who are badgering their heads trying to figure out some professional-oriented New Year's resolutions may now rest easy. I've come up with a list: ■ Atlas Theatre: That you will do more. Your take on Patrick Marber's "Closer" was a stunner, but it's been yourFri, 28 Dec 2012 10:01:45 +00009681 at http://www.reviewjournal.comAcademy's 'Changing Faces' full of surpriseshttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/academys-changing-faces-full-surprises
Two very different shows had their official opening last weekend, both worth seeing. One's playing indefinitely, the other closes shop Saturday. Las Vegas Academy's dance drama "Changing Faces" (7 p.m. today and Saturday at the Lowden, Ninth Street and Clark Avenue) demonstrates not just skilledFri, 21 Dec 2012 10:03:02 +000010144 at http://www.reviewjournal.comOnyx may become the late-night entertainment stophttp://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/onyx-may-become-late-night-entertainment-stop
There's a new cabaret program at the Onyx that may change the cabaret scene. The 96-seat theater has always hosted nights of improv, imported singers and comedy acts. But now Vegas talents - not Strip headliners, not Cirque, but theater vets who have not yet gotten the recognition they deserve -Fri, 14 Dec 2012 10:02:18 +000010745 at http://www.reviewjournal.com